University Southern California Trojans
Claridge Named Pac-10 Morris Trophy Award Winner
December 09, 1999 | Football
Dec. 9, 1999
LOS ANGELES--USC senior offensive tackle Travis Claridge, a 2-time All-Pac-10 first team pick, won the 1999 Pac-10 Morris Trophy, given to the league's outstanding offensive lineman as selected by the Pac-10's starting defensive linemen.
Claridge started all 48 games of his USC career, the first Trojan offensive lineman ever to do so without redshirting. He was named to the 1999 CBS SportsLine All-American second team and The Sporting News All-American third team. He started at right guard his first three years before moving to right tackle as a senior.
"Travis Claridge did what few offensive linemen do in college football and that's be a four-year starter," said USC head coach Paul Hackett. "He's a top-notch player."
This is the seventh time in the 20-year history of the Morris Trophy that a USC offensive lineman has won (that's more than any other school). Claridge joins Trojans Roy Foster (1980 and 1981), Bruce Matthews (1982), Jeff Bregel (1985), Pat Harlow (1990) and Tony Boselli (1994).
The Pac-10 similarly honors defensive linemen and a pair of Trojans--George Achica (1982) and Darrell Russell (1996)--have won the defensive version of the Morris Trophy.
Stanford defensive tackle Willie Howard was the 1999 defensive winner of the Morris Trophy.
Claridge and Howard will be presented their awards at the prestigious PALO Club Million Dollar Awards Banquet at Santa Clara, Calif., on Feb. 15, 2000.
